Two Dead, 23 Injured as Car Crashes Into Crowd at SXSW

Two people are dead and 23 people are injured following a car crash at SXSW tonight, the Austin Police Department reports. Five of those 23 are in critical condition.

A vehicle ran through a crowd of people outside the Mohawk at 9th and Red River around 12:30 a.m. The driver of the car is currently in police custody.

"We owe it to the victims and their families to gather the evidence we need to bring them justice," Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said.

The Associated Press reports that the driver of the car was suspected of being drunk and "fleeing from arrest." The two deceased were a man and a woman on a moped.

Update 3/13 9:51 a.m. Eastern:

According to The New York Times, Chief Acevedo said that police had attempted to pull the driver over before he sped off the wrong way down 9th St., a one-way street. He then broke through the police barricade blocking Red River Street off from cars during the busy, pedestrian-filled festival. Acevedo said the driver hit the moped, a taxi, a van, and other vehicles, as well as pedestrians, before jumping out of his car and running away. A police officer Tasered him after he resisted arrest, the Times reports. Acevedo said "he expected that the driver would face capital murder charges," according to the Times.

During the time of the crash, the Mohawk was hosting a House of Vans show featuring Tyler, the Creator, X, the Black Angels, †††, and more. Next door at Cheer Up Charlie's, the Jansport Bonfire Sessions featured Kurt Vile, Cloud Nothings, Gardens & Villa, and Natural Child.

Update 3/13 10:17 a.m. Eastern:

Watch video of Chief Acevedo addressing the media, via Dallas News. He says the suspect will be charged with two counts of capital murder and 23 counts of aggravated assault with a vehicle. He also urges any witnesses with any information to contact the Austin Police.

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Pitchfork photographer Colin Kerrigan says, "Right after I walked out of Stubb's, I ran right into the nightmare scene that was unfolding outside...Crazy night. It was pretty disturbing overall especially because Kurt Vile was playing at the venue next door to Mohawk and you could hear his acoustic jams out on the street. So he kind of soundtracked the whole scene without ever knowing what all the flashing lights were about.”

Correction: A previous version of this story contained an incorrect spelling of the Austin Police Chief's last name. It also indicated, based on an Associated Press report, that the driver was drunk. That has not been confirmed yet.